This invention relates to a heater for use in orchards and the like to prevent freezing of crops during cold or freezing weather.
More particularly, the present invention relates to an orchard heater which is substantially pollution-free in operation, and which emits a large amount of radiant heat into the surrounding crops to prevent freeze damage thereto.
Many prior art orchard heaters rely upon the burning of a fuel in a heater device which produces a certain amount of radiant heat energy and which also produces a large, dense cloud of smoke, which presents a thermal inversion layer to trap or prevent excessive radiation of the heat away from the earth's surface, thus preventing the area surrounding the crops and near the ground from becoming excessively cold. However, in recent years anti-pollution laws have necessitated that use of such heaters be discontinued. Accordingly, some alternate means of providing a substantially pollution-free heating of crops is necessary and desirable.
In accordance with the present invention, a unique heater is provided, which includes a stackable, heat transmitting housing, having a burner supported therein for substantially pollution-free combustion of fuel to emit a large amount of radiant energy toward surrounding crops, and which also may be provided with a fog or vapor producing pan on its top, which serves substantially the same purpose as the dense clouds of smoke previously produced, in that heat from the burner vaporizes water in the pan, and the vaporized water forms a layer or blanket of fog over the crops which helps to hold the heat near the ground and around the crops and prevent its escape into the atmosphere.
Still further, there are millions of old-style, conventional heaters in existence, and in view of the anti-pollution laws mentioned previously, such conventional heaters are not permitted to be used. The unique burner of the present invention may be easily used with such conventional heater bodies, thus enabling the millions of conventional heaters to be reclaimed and used.